We're all pissed.
We're all disappointed.
We're all disgusted.
How could our America -- the country our Founding Fathers fought a war of indpendence for -- stoop to such a low level where we'd let our own president put himself on a level with Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Saddam Hussein and other of history's torturers?
How could our America -- the nation which struggled to enact its Constitution but in doing so enshrined a Bill of Rights which has shown like a beacon to all the world -- turn its back on its very core spirit of humanity and dignity?
I'll tell you how. Because we, the people, got fucked.
We, the people, rely too much on our leadership in Congress to do what we know (and what most of them know) is right. We, the people, cannot keep doing this.
Our leadership in the Senate and the House is not strong enough. They are simply not able to stand up to the worst the Republicans can throw at them.
I will not leave the Democratic Party this day nor any other day in the foreseeable future. There is much good we can yet do together under the Dems' banner. But on this day the leadership of the Democratic Party showed their Achilles Heel: they back down from a fight all too easily.
They did it many times under Reagan when they controlled the Cngress. They continue to do it now under Bush when the do not control the Congress.
Here's how we, the people, can set that ship right.
1. Talk to your neighbors. Hopefully you're already planning to go out canvassing for candidates in the next few weeks. Explain to them what happened this and what this bill allows the President to do.
2. The Republicans knocked down the amendments (including Specter's, etc) which could have at least brought this bill back from the brink. Tie it all like a dead weight around the necks of every Republican you talk about.
They tied vital military measures in with poison pills like torture; all for base partisan political gain.
America ought not torture, Saddam Hussein does that. Republicans want to be more like Hussein.
Democrats wanted to protect Americans' rights and our national dignity -- Republicans voted against that and for torture.
Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for what they have done to the legacy of our Founding Fathers.
3. Democrats have solid plans to protect our families from terrorists but Republicans have instead concentrated on ramming through torture bills and blocked the Dems' common sense proposals at every turn.
4a. Write letters to the editor. Call or email in to radio and TV. Here are addresses and phone numbers.
4b. Post to blogs (local, national, news, left, right ... find as many blogs as you can handle and TALK).
5. Contribute your talents to efforts like Mike Stark's YouTube ads or the overpass banners or any number of other actions. Got an idea? Write it. Act it. Do it.
6. In every primary if you yourself are not running find a candidate who has a spine and support them. If you cannot find one, run yourself. Or, work to encourage the candidate you prefer to stand up for our core progressive American values. Lead that fight!
Torture is shit. Say so. Be the Democratic Leadership you want to see. Stand up for American traditions and values. Now, TODAY, of all days we must. Who else will?